Special Discipleship Knowing

Issue . . oing &DC S L e w i s I n s t i t u t e Spring 2011 A Teaching Quarterly for Discipleship of Heart and Mind

The Transforming Impact of True Discipleship by Thomas A. Tarrants III, D. Min. Director of Ministry, The C.S. Lewis Institute

IN This Issue here is a crisis of discipleship in the the early church responded, and where we American church today. are today. Perhaps this will help us see more 2 Notes from Reams of research confirm the sim- clearly what we need to do. the President T by Kerry Knott ple observation that in many ways the lives of most professing Christians are not much Jesus on Discipleship 3 C.S. Lewis different from their nonbelieving neigh- on Authentic bors. Like ancient Israel and the church in Jesus began his public ministry with a Discipleship simple message of grace: “Repent, for the by Christopher some periods of history, we have adopted Mitchell the beliefs, values, and behaviors of the sur- kingdom of heaven is at hand ” (Matt. 4:17), rounding culture to an alarming degree. or, as Mark records it, “The time is fulfilled, 4 Becoming a Although there are exceptions among indi- and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent Disciple of Jesus: and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15 ESV). He Demands viduals and congregations, they only serve Our All to confirm the reality. By this Jesus meant that in his own Person, by Bill Kynes This sad situation is bringing reproach God’s kingdom was now uniquely present on the name of Jesus Christ, undermining and people should respond by believing 6 The Discipleship the credibility of the church, strengthen- this good news, turning from their sins, Deficit: Where Have All the ing atheist rhetoric, and bringing frequent and trusting him. Soon after he began his Disciples Gone? charges of hypocrisy against God’s people ministry, Jesus called his first followers, Si- by Greg Ogden and his work. It stands in stark contrast mon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, who with the teachings of Jesus about disciple- were fishermen. One day, as they were ply- 8 Discipleship for ing their trade on the shores of the Sea of Changing Times ship and the witness of the church in other and Ministries eras, and it presents us with an urgent and Galilee, Jesus came up and said, “Follow by Michael unavoidable challenge. me, and I will make you fishers of men” Wilkins A significant part of our problem today (Matt. 4:19). The call came at an inconve- is widespread misunderstanding about the nient time, took precedence over family, 23 Recommended Reading nature of discipleship. Let’s briefly look at friends, and livelihood and carried a high what Jesus taught about discipleship, how personal price. All they (continued on page 10) In the legacy of C.S. Lewis, the Institute endeavors to develop disciples who can articulate, defend, and live C. S. Lewis Institute faith in Christ through personal and public life. E S T A B L I S H E D 1 9 7 6

Notes from the President by Kerry A. Knott President, C.S. Lewis Institute

Dear Friends,

here are key moments in history when voices need to shout, “Stop!” and change course. In this special issue of Knowing and Doing, we add our voice to those Twho recognize that the church in America is heading in the wrong direction. We urge a stop to cheap grace, nominalism, and the compartmentalization of God. And we advocate for a renewed focus on authentic discipleship. While we don’t pretend to have all the answers, we recognize core elements that are essential to the health of the church, and we feel called to articulate those concerns. In this special issue, you will get a hearty meal of discipleship, from understanding what it is to how to refocus your life, your church, and your ministry around discipleship of the heart and mind. Discipleship is not a check-the-box course we take; it is a focus of each key stage of life as we journey with Christ toward our destiny. There is an urgency to our message. As Greg Ogden asks, “Where have all the disciples gone?” Too many church leaders and Chris- Discipleship is not a check-the-box tians downplay or don’t even understand what it means to whole- course we take; it is a focus of each heartedly follow Christ seven days a week; they aren’t willing to pay the cost of doing so. Europe lost its faith in just a few short genera- key stage of life as we journey with tions, and America is headed in that direction unless we change Christ toward our destiny. course, which involves making discipleship part of the DNA of every believing church in America. Every pastor should be actively en- couraging the congregation to live as Christ called us to live—not as powerless weaklings adrift in the world, but as spirit-filled leaders for God’s kingdom. Of course, there are signs of promise, and there are good, solid churches in America that are setting examples for us to follow. In future issues, we will be highlighting success stories and offering practical advice on how churches and individuals can focus effectively on discipleship. Please join us by praying for the church. Pray for leaders to be raised up. Pray for the Holy Spirit to spark a new hunger for worship and a discipleship movement that will sweep this land.

Sincerely,

Kerry A. Knott [email protected]

Page 2 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 Profile in Faith

C.S. Lewis on Authentic Discipleship by Christopher W. Mitchell, Ph.D. Senior Fellow, C.S. Lewis Institute Director, Marion E. Wade Center, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

alter Hooper has on several oc- somewhat reserved Lewis should unburden casions stated that C.S. Lewis himself in this way to a friend and illumi- Wwas the most thoroughly con- nating inasmuch as it demonstrates that verted person he had ever met. If I were to even at this period in his life, he was still put what Hooper was saying into biblical wrestling with personal demons, still strug- language, it would go something like this: gling to keep his way pure. It is also illumi- “From the time Lewis came to faith in Je- nating in that it demonstrates the depth of sus Christ to the day he died, he desired, his commitment to following Christ. worked, and struggled, sometimes succeed- The second example is found in the last ing and sometimes failing, to bring all of sermon Lewis preached. He delivered it on Christopher W. Mitchell, January 29, 1956, and it was titled “A Slip of Ph.D. is Director of the Mar- his life captive to Christ.” An evangelical ion E. Wade Center and holds would simply have said that Lewis was a the Tongue.” Once again, it is worth noting the Marion E. Wade Chair model disciple of Christ. I agree with both that Lewis is now fifty-seven years old; once of Christian Thought, at again we might be tempted to safely assume Wheaton College, Wheaton, assertions. I also believe Lewis understood Illinois. Mitchell serves the nature and purpose of Christian dis- that while he is far from perfect, he surely as Book Review Editor for cipleship better than most and communi- has all the big issues well in hand. “A Slip Seven: An Anglo-American cated as clearly as anyone in the English of the Tongue,” however, gives us reason Literary Review, a journal 1 published annually by the speaking world. to pause. He begins the sermon recounting Wade Center on its seven au- Because my primary aim is to demon- how, during his morning devotions, he mis- thors. Mitchell received his strate the enormous significance of what read the collect for the fourth Sunday after M.A. from Wheaton College, and a Ph.D. from the Univer- Lewis has to teach us about Christian dis- Trinity. Instead of praying “that I might so sity of St. Andrews, Scotland. cipleship, it is important that I make clear pass through things temporal that I finally He and his wife Julie live in at the outset that Lewis did in fact struggle lost not the things eternal,” he prayed, “so to Wheaton, and have four children and two grandchildren. all his life to embody what he knew to be pass through things eternal that I finally lost true of a disciple of Christ. Two examples not the things temporal.”3 Now we might will suffice. The first comes from a letter view this as quite innocent. Lewis did not. Lewis wrote on June 21, 1950, to his friend For what it alerted him to was that, after all and former student, George Sayer. Lewis this time, his oldest nemesis to discipleship was fifty-one years old. Much of his most was still alive and well; namely, his desire important and celebrated work defending for limited liabilities, manifested in that per- and explicating the faith had been pub- sistent voice in his head that told him to be lished. He was, one might say, mature and “careful, to keep his head, not to go too far, well established in his faith. But on this day not to burn my boats.” Lest the sinister na- he penned the following: “My Dear George, ture be missed, he goes on to make perfectly I shall be completely alone at the Kilns… clear the meaning of these precautions. from Aug 11 to Aug 19th and am like to fall into a whoreson melancholy. Can you I come into the presence of God with a great come and spend all or any of this time with fear lest anything should happen to me 2 me?” Now this is a rather amazing and il- within that presence which will prove too luminating statement. Surprising in that a intolerably inconvenient (continued on page 14)

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 3 Becoming a Disciple of Jesus: He Demands Our All

by William “Bill” Kynes, Ph.D. Pastor, Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church Annandale, VA

Since the U.S. government moved to an journey to Jerusalem was a victory march all-volunteer military in the 1970s the Army for the crowning of the Messiah. They has advertized itself to potential recruits in wanted to be there when he claimed his various ways. In the 1980s the slogan was throne—to bask in his reflected glory and “Be all that you can be. Join the U.S. Army” to grab a share of the prize for themselves. or “It’s a great place to start.” The Army pro- But Jesus didn’t want any misunder- vided training that would prepare you for standing. There was to be no neglected the job market, and through the G.I. Bill you small print. He wanted to make it quite could earn money for college. It was a great clear what was required of anyone who Bill Kynes, Ph.D. studied deal: Do yourself a favor. Fulfill your po- would be his disciple and enter the king- philosophy at the Univer- sity of Florida, where he also tential. Be all that you can be. Things were dom of God. Consider these words: “If played quarterback and was relatively peaceful in those days, and being anyone comes to me and does not hate his inducted into the univer- in the Army was almost like enrolling in a father and mother, his wife and children, sity’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He attended Oxford Uni- technical college for four years, with some his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own versity as a Rhodes Scholar, physical training and discipline thrown in. life—he cannot be my disciple. And any- receiving an M.A. in theol- But in 1991, when the First Gulf War be- one who does not carry his cross and follow ogy. He has an M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity gan, all these new Army recruits were sud- me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Or School in Deerfield, Illinois, denly saying, “You mean I have to leave these: “In the same way, any of you who and a Ph.D. in New Testa- my family and fight a war? You want me does not give up everything he has cannot ment from Cambridge Uni- versity. Bill has served as to go to Saudi Arabia? Where in the world be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). senior pastor of Cornerstone is Qatar? Excuse me, but that’s not in my Jesus is declaring what it means to be- Evangelical Free Church in contract.” But, of course, it was—”Sorry, sol- come his follower, a member of his army. Annandale, Virginia, since 1986. He and his wife Susan dier; you didn’t read the small print. You go And no one should enlist without fully un- have four boys: Will, Mat- where we want you to go.” derstanding what it demands and without thew, Cameron, and Cason. Now the Army ads are much different. In first counting the cost (cf. Luke 14:28-32). fact, they are often addressed more to the From the beginning Jesus is entirely upfront parents than to their sons and daughters. and honest. This is an all-or-nothing prop- In a time of prolonged war, with a deadly osition. You must follow me completely or combat zone, it is the parents who are the not at all. In contrast to your commitment to most hesitant about Army service. One me, you must hate your father and mother, ad basically says, when your child talks your wife and children. about enlisting, listen before you just say Undoubtedly, these are harsh words, es- No. Another tries a form of flattery—”You pecially when we give so much attention made them strong; We’ll make them Army to the value of marriage and family rela- strong.” Things have changed. tionships. We may blunt the sharpness of As you look at the ministry of Jesus in Jesus’ words a bit when he talks of hating the gospels you see that he was attracting a one’s family members. We point out that large army of people who surrounded him the Semitic mind moved in contrasts and wherever he went. They thought that his extremes—light and darkness, truth and

Page 4 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 falsehood, love and hate—primary colors disciple. . . . In the same way, any of you with no shades of gray. And in fact, Jesus who does not give up everything he has himself loved his own mother, making cannot be my disciple.” sure that she would be cared for even as he was dying on the cross (John 19:25-27). Unreasonable Demands? Surely, we’re not to hate our parents. Jesus is just talking about loving him more, we These are hard words, and many see say, and that’s true. And of course Jesus these demands as entirely unreasonable, wasn’t literally saying that every one of impossible and unthinkable. But let me try his followers must be crucified just as he to put them in another light. I am a pastor, was or that every one must actually give and as a pastor I perform weddings. And as away all his possessions. one who officiates at weddings I am struck But clearly, Jesus is saying that to be his by the fact that these requirements of Jesus disciple a person must put him in first place sound strangely similar to what is expected among all one’s relational loyalties. Any one in a marriage. Isn’t the commitment made of you who is not fully devoted to me, he in a marriage just as exclusive, as uncondi- says, anyone does not give up his claim of tional, and as demanding as what Jesus sets ownership on everything he has and even before us? his own life cannot be my disciple. I say to the groom, “Will you have this Immediately, you have to ask yourself, woman to be your wedded wife…Will you What sort of person makes this kind of love her, comfort her, honor and keep her demand? If I demanded such a commit- for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer in sickness and in health; to love and to cher- ment, you’d think I was crazy—or at least ish and forsaking all others, keep you only you should. To make such a demand, Jesus unto her, so long as you both shall live?” can’t be a mere religious wise man—a mere And of course I ask the same thing of the teacher—sharing a few pearls of wisdom bride. And each of them will say to the about how best to get along in the world. other, “With this ring I thee wed and with Not even a holy prophet could say the kinds all my worldly goods I thee endow.…” And of things Jesus says here. A prophet says, doesn’t Paul instruct husbands to love their Follow the ways of God; Jesus says, Follow wives just as Christ loved the church and me —supremely. gave himself up for her—unto death. If we would be his disciples, Jesus de- Isn’t all this included in the words, “Will mands our ultimate and absolute devo- you marry me?” That is, Will you make me tion—the kind of devotion that rightly the pre-eminent person in your life? Will belongs to God alone. If Jesus is not divine, you set aside your parents, your brothers we must say he was demented if not down- and sisters, and all your (continued on page 18) right demonic in making these demands, something along the lines of a Jim-Jones- like cult leader. Do you want to be a Christian, a follower, a disciple of Jesus Christ (and these are all ways of saying the same thing), then listen again to his words—“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 5 The Discipleship Deficit: Where Have All the Disciples Gone?

by Greg Ogden, D. Min. Executive Pastor of Discipleship, Christ Church of Oak Brook Oak Brook, IL

If we are to devise a successful strategy born again.2 The Gallup Poll taken during of disciple making in our churches, we the years 2001 and 2007 noted that between must first assess the gap between where 38 and 45 percent of the adult population we are and where we are called to go. Max in the United States self-designated as De Pree, who has popularized this biblical evangelical. These numbers scream for an wisdom as top priority for leaders, writes, explanation. How can Christian leaders ”The first responsibility of a leader is to de- moan over the moral decline of our society fine reality.”1 when at the same time so many indicate a Greg Ogden, D. Min., is I want to explore the deficit that must be meaningful encounter with Jesus Christ? executive pastor of disciple- filled if making self-initiating, reproducing, Certainly if these millions of Jesus’ namers ship at Christ Church of Oak Brook in Oak Brook, Illinois. fully devoted followers of Christ is to be- were actually Jesus’ followers, we would Previously he was academic come our new reality. The purpose of this not be wagging our fingers in anger at a director of the doctor of min- analysis is to help you assess the gap be- civilization that has turned away from God. istry program and associate professor of lay equipping tween where you are and where you want We have a discipleship deficit. How deep and discipleship at Fuller to go. As you read on. quietly pause and ask is it? What is the reality that we as lead- Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. A the Holy Spirit to allow you to receive the ers must define? We are able to gauge the pastor for 23 years with the truth that will ultimately set you free. discipleship deficit when we compare the Presbyterian Church, USA, biblical standards of discipleship with the he also served for nine years reality of their achievement in our churches as senior pastor of Saratoga The State of Discipleship Today: Federated Church in Sara- and ministries. toga, California. While there, You Are Here! he developed a discipleship Let’s look at seven marks of discipleship. program used by over 15,000 If I were to choose one word to sum- At the end of each section, take the op- people and resulting in his marize the state of discipleship today it is portunity to identify the gap between the book, Discipleship Essentials. superficial. Many who claim Jesus as Savior biblical standard and the reality of your seem not to comprehend the implications of church or ministry. following him as Lord. This superficiality comes into startling The Biblical Standard and the focus when we note the incongruity be- Current Reality tween the numbers of those who profess faith in Jesus Christ and the lack of impact 1. Proactive Ministers. The Scriptures on the moral and spiritual climate of our picture the church as full of proactive min- times. The American Religious Identifica- isters; the reality is that a majority are pas- tion Survey of 2008 (ARIS), the most ex- sive recipients. tensive done on the American population, The New Testament picture of the church found that fully 33 percent, correlating to is every member a minister. Writing to scat- 77,000,000 adults, described themselves as tered, persecuted Christians, Peter referred

Page 6 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 to the church in aggregate when he writes, gifts they had. One quarter of the people “You (plural) are . . . a royal priesthood” (1 who thought they knew their spiritual gifts Pet. 2:9). Every believer comes to God via named gifts that had no correlation with a Christ as mediator, and every believer is en- biblical profile. People said things such as “I abled to act as a priest on behalf of fellow have the gift of making cherry pies” or “I members of the body of Christ. The apostle have the gift of gab.” Only one quarter who Paul had the everyday Christian in mind knew their spiritual gifts identified gifts when he wrote, “To each has been given the that had a biblical basis.3 manifestation of the Spirit for the common 2. A Disciplined Way of Life. The Scrip- good” (1 Cor. 12:7). The New Testament de- tures picture followers of Jesus as engaged scribes a full employment plan that digni- in a disciplined way of life; the reality is a fies and gives every believer value based on small percentage are investing in spiritual the contribution he or she has to make. growth practices. Yet when we look at the contemporary One of the consistent images in the New church, we see a relatively small percentage Testament for the Christian life is the disci- of people who move beyond Sunday wor- pline of an athlete. Comparing the Christian ship into the life and ministry of a congre- life to a race, Paul wrote, “Do you not know gation. The all-too-often 80/20 rule seems that in a race all the runners run, but only impossible to transcend. Invariably 20 per- one gets the prize? Run in such a way as cent of the people give 80 percent of the in- to get the prize. Everyone who competes in come. Twenty percent are involved in the the games goes into strict training” (1 Cor. ministry positions serving the 80 percent 9:24–25). In making this comparison, Paul who are consumers of their efforts. raised the bar. If athletes will put themselves This means that there are a high per- through a harsh regimen to get a “perish- centage of spectators filling the pews. As a able wreath,” how much more should Chris- pastor, I am consciously aware that people tians discipline themselves because our goal assume their place in the pew with a “re- is “an imperishable one”! One is left with viewer’s” mentality. The worshiper sees it as an obvious impression (continued on page 24) the responsibility of those on stage to pull off a highly engaging, meaningful, and en- tertaining “show,” while it is the worshipers’ job to give an instant assessment of the worship experience as they pass through the receiving line. Doesn’t it seem odd for people to be making evaluative comments, such as “Good sermon, pastor” or “I en- joyed the service this morning,” when it comes to the worship of the living God? If ministry is largely being a steward of our spiritual gifts, then the task ahead is daunting. I find good news in George Bar- na’s finding that 85 percent of believers had heard of spiritual gifts. But the bad news? Half of the 85 percent were ignorant of the

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 7 Discipleship for Changing Times and Ministries

by Michael J. Wilkins, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Dean of the Faculty Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

As I stand on a bluff overlooking the blue Evangelistic Association that revolution- Pacific Ocean near our home in Southern ized campus and evangelistic mission. California, I watch lines of waves forming During the 1960s and ’70s, the Jesus move- far out on the horizon. The waves that final- ment transfigured traditional ways of ex- ly break near shore are much larger today pressing worship. The 1980s and ’90s saw than normal. the arrival of the seeker movement with I check out the surf report and find that megachurches that reached out to people these waves were generated by a monstrous that had never darkened the door of con- Michael J. Wilkins, Ph.D., storm. The weather is sunny and calm where ventional churches. Most recently in the M.Div, specializes in New I stand, but the waves that break below me 1990s and the first decade of this century Testament theology, Chris- tology, and discipleship. were generated by a ferocious hurricane- we have witnessed the spiritual formation He is author of Matthew force storm many days ago and thousands movement that has transcended ecclesial (NIVAC); Following the of miles away off of the tip of New Zealand. lines to impact mainline, charismatic, Bible, Master: Biblical Theology of Discipleship; “Matthew” If I am to surf these waves effectively, I and emergent churches with the quest for (ZIBBC); In His Image: Re- need to know as much as possible about meaningful spirituality. flecting Christ in Everyday Life; and Discipleship in the their size, power, direction, and speed. All of these movements generated power Ancient World. Dr. Wilkins that impacts the church today. We find this was co-editor of Worship, also in waves of different forms of “disci- Theology and Ministry in Waves upon the Ocean and the Church the Early Church (Fest- pleship” and “disciple making” that break schrift for Ralph Martin) Similarly as we stand here in the second upon the church. Discipleship is not a re- and with J.P. Moreland, Je- sus Under Fire. decade of the twenty-first century, waves of cent or unique phenomenon. It was initiated various kinds of practices, fads, and styles nearly two thousand years ago when Jesus continue to sweep upon the church. And Christ entered human history and called like the waves of the ocean, the waves of out to men and women, “Follow me.” church issues that impact us today are nor- But discipleship as we know it in the mally generated by forces far away and long church today is influenced by other forces, ago. And if we are to ride them effectively, near and far. The terms discipleship and we need to know as much as possible about disciple making are related expressions, re- the forces that have brought them about and ferring respectively to the process of grow- how they impact us today. ing as a disciple of Jesus and the process Following World War II, the parachurch of helping others to grow as Jesus’ disciple. movement spawned organizations such Each of us carries around various concep- as the Navigators, Campus Crusade for tions of discipleship and disciple making that Christ, InterVarsity, and the Billy Graham are influenced by our past experiences.

Page 8 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 Discipleship Traditions The waves of discipleship materials that have swept over the church in the past sixty years have in many cases caused people to be more confused than ever when they think of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. These traditions developed out of a desire to be more like the disciples of Jesus in the New Testament, yet they often became so rigorously focused on their particular practices that only an elite few could adhere to them. The Learner. Some emphasize that a disciple is the person who is dedicated to an intense study of the Bible. A disciple is actively involved in personal devotional time, Bible memorization, and Bible study accountable to the growth that we say we as a regular habit of life. This implies that desire. Many suggest that in the same way a Christian becomes a disciple when she is that Jesus “discipled” his small band of fol- dedicated to learning the Word of God and lowers, true discipleship occurs today when applying it. a person is involved in a small group. The Committed. Others emphasize that a disciple is supremely committed to Christ. He has rejected a worldly lifestyle. This A Definition of Discipleship means that a Christian is a disciple when There is, of course, truth in each of these, he has truly denied himself, taken up his cross, and is actively following Jesus on an because each encourages necessary ways everyday basis. of promoting growth in the Christian life. The Worker. Still others declare that a However, they have often been mistakenly disciple is actively involved in Christian advocated as ways that an individual be- service. Her service distinguishes her from comes a disciple: it is often advocated that nominal Christians who simply attend the once a Christian’s life is characterized by group or church. This implies that a Chris- one or more of these commitments, the per- tian becomes a disciple when she is an ac- son becomes a disciple. tive worker for Christ. This is the root of much of the confusion The Mentor. Some of us have been in- today about discipleship, implying that dis- volved in one-on-one relationships in which cipleship is a second stage in the Christian an older, more mature Christian has “dis- life. There is an expression found among cipled” us. This is often called “mentoring.” some that goes, “All disciples are Chris- Many people believe that only when we are involved in such a relationship can we say tians, but not all Christians are disciples.” that we have experienced true discipleship. In this view, discipleship is for an elite, The Small Group. Small groups are one more committed, or more specially trained of the most effective means of facilitating person or group of Christians. growth in Christians, because we can learn But this is surely not what Jesus intended from the example of others, we can open us to understand about discipleship and our lives up to others, and we can be held disciple making. A more (continued on page 30)

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 9 The Transforming Impact of True Discipleship (continued from page 1)

could do was respond of neighbor, and radical obedience to his in obedient faith to the teachings, to mention only a few. Regular command of Jesus or instruction would be a vital part of their walk away in unbelief. community life as they grew in discipleship As Jesus and his small and ministry. To this day, the Sermon on the team went out minister- Mount remains foundational teaching for ing from city to city, he everyone who follows Jesus. called many other men On a number of occasions, Jesus told and women to follow his disciples and the crowds that following him would be costly: “If anyone would him, and numbers income after me, let him deny himself, take creased. He called them up his cross and follow me. For whoever not simply to become would save his life will lose it, and who- admirers or even con- ever loses his life for my sake will find it” verts. He called them (Matt. 16:24–25; Mark 8:34–35; Luke 9:23–24). to turn from their sins, Jesus meant that it is possible to follow him trust him, and become only by saying a radical no to one’s self- his disciples—people centeredness and embracing the hard fact who would seek to learn that faithfulness might cost one’s life. Only and obey his word. Most by decisively reckoning with these sobering would remain in their realities could people be freed up to follow communities and work- him faithfully. places as salt and light, devoted to him, On another occasion, Jesus said to a growing in grace, and ministering to those large crowd that was following him, “If around them. Over time, they would take anyone comes to me and does not hate his on the character of their Master: exhibiting own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even love, humility, service, obedience, and en- his own life, he cannot be my disciple… durance. At some point early on, Jesus spent So therefore, any one of you who does not an entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12–16), then renounce all that he has cannot be my dis- selected twelve of them who would form ciple” (Luke 14:25, 33). Jesus was saying a small community to travel and minister that love for him must take precedence with him and serve as apostles. They fea- over all earthly relationships and con- ture prominently in the Gospels, and their cerns, without exception. This may sound experience with him gives us a down-to- harsh to our ears, but it was grounded in earth case study in how to grow into ma- love, truth, and utter realism. Jesus never ture followers of Jesus. minimized the cost of following him for Responding to Jesus’ call to conversion the sake of bigger crowds. Nor did he en- and discipleship was the beginning of a courage people to follow him when they long journey for his first followers. To pro- were not ready. He wanted everyone to ceed on that journey, they needed instruc- count the cost of putting him first and to tion about how to live in the kingdom of prepared for the separation, rejection, per- God. So Jesus took them away for intensive secution, and suffering that such a com- teaching in the fundamentals of kingdom mitment could entail. life. In the Sermon on the Mount, he gave Although he called for total commit- them life-changing truths about things like ment, Jesus was a man of grace. He didn’t humility, purity of heart, faith, prayer, love load his followers with impossible de-

Page 10 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 Obedience is the road to freedom... C.S. Lewis mands as the Pharisees did (and some do church and taught to obey all that Jesus today). He knew how weak fallen human had taught. The goal was not mere con- beings were and how demanding his teach- verts but committed disciples integrated ing was. He said, “Come to me, all who la- into a new community, who would, in fel- bor and are heavy laden, and I will give lowship with one another, learn and obey you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn what Jesus had taught the twelve. And be- from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart cause what he taught them included this and will give you rest for your souls. For very commission, it ensured that disciples my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” would reproduce themselves from genera- (Matt. 11:28–30). He invites all who are tion to generation until he returned. weary of burdensome, legalistic religion to cast it off, take up his yoke of discipleship, and learn from him. Paradoxically, Discipleship in the Early Church his discipleship, while demanding, is easy and his burden is light. This is because Je- The early church was eager to carry on sus will send the Holy Spirit to empower the work Jesus had given them to do. We see his disciples to obey his commands. And them in Acts 1, gathered as a community of also because he extends grace and forgive- 120 disciples ready to “go, and make disci- ness when they fail. We need only consider ples of all nations,” and waiting for the Holy how weak, sinful, and clueless the twelve Spirit’s empowerment to do so. They did not often were during their three years with have to wait long. When the Holy Spirit fell him and how patient, kind, and forgiving on the Day of Pentecost, Peter’s empowered he was toward them. His persistent grace preaching brought three thousand new be- brought transformation to their lives, as it lievers into the fellowship. A few days later, does to all who follow him. Before returning to heaven, Jesus com- missioned his disciples to carry on the work he had begun: “Go, therefore and make dis- This was a clear, simple, and brilliant plan. It ciples of all nations, baptizing them in the entailed sharing with people of all races and ethnic name of the Father and of the Son and of groups the good news of God’s grace and love… the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe [obey] all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the number grew to five thousand, and Jew- the age” (Matt. 28:18–20). ish leaders responded with persecution. As it This was a clear, simple, and brilliant intensified, the disciples gathered for urgent plan. It entailed sharing with people of prayer. Because their passion was to glorify all races and ethnic groups the good news God, they prayed not for protection but for of God’s grace and love, demonstrated in boldness to preach Christ with even greater the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. impact. God answered their prayers, and Those who accepted the message were many more were saved and became a part to be baptized into the fellowship of the of this new movement of followers of Jesus.

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 11 The Transforming Impact of True Discipleship

While on earth, Jesus had led the com- tus, tells us that in AD 64, Nero rounded munity of disciples. As he had promised, up “a vast number” of believers in Rome the Holy Spirit would now expand, lead, and put them to death in the cruelest and empower them to glorify him and carry ways imaginable. Neither Tacitus nor the on his mission. Their fearless, wholehearted philosopher Seneca, were admirers of devotion to the risen Jesus in spite of Jew- the Christians, but they felt sympathy for ish persecution demonstrated a quality of them because of the way they were wan- tonly sacrificed to Nero’s madness. Some were crucified in mockery of Christ. Others First, each of us must begin by earnestly seeking God’s were covered with pitch and resin, chained to poles, and set ablaze to light Nero’s gar- grace to be a more faithful disciple of Jesus ourselves. dens for his guests. Still others were sewn This may involve a renewed commitment of all that into animal skins, thrown to vicious dogs, we are and all that we have to him, no matter the cost. and torn apart in the arena to entertain the Second, we must seek ways to help our own church mobs. Both Paul and Peter were martyred in Nero’s insane rampage, Paul by behead- become a community of disciples seeking to fulfill the ing and Peter by crucifixion. Great Commission in the power of the Holy Spirit. One might think that such a blow would Third, we must endeavor to live publicly for Christ and destroy the church or at least permanently cripple it. But just the opposite happened. seek to be salt and light in the world, influencing our They had the teachings of Jesus and the family, friends, colleagues, and community. empowering presence of the Spirit. And just seven years earlier, Paul had sent the believers in Rome an epistle to help ground personal and corporate life that captured them in the faith. He had urged them, “By the hearts and minds of multitudes, and the mercies of God, to present your bodies the gospel continued to spread, eventually as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable reaching Rome. to God, which is your spiritual worship” Roman persecution came under Nero (Rom. 12:1). Paul, disciple of Jesus that he and was brutal. The Roman historian, Taci- was, had called them to respond to God’s

Page 12 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 grace with wholehearted commitment to far short of the teaching of Jesus. In many God no matter the cost. Thus, many with- cases, this is because people are unaware stood Nero’s cruelty with courage. And the of what the Bible really teaches; in others, church continued to grow. it is because they are misguided by flawed Over the years, other emperors would teaching. Regardless of the reason, rela- order persecution: Domitian, Trajan, Sep- tively few professing believers appear to timius Severus, Marcus Aurelius, Decius, be living as true disciples of Jesus Christ. Valerian, and Diocletian to mention a few. As a result, many dishonor him, discredit Many believers, both ordinary church the church, turn off nonbelievers, and di- Tom Tarrants, D. Min. has members and notable leaders, were cruci- minish the influence of God’s truth in the served as President of the C.S. Lewis Institute from fied, burned at the stake or thrown into the secular world. 1998 to April 2010. Prior to arena. But the church continued to grow. As How do we respond to such a situation? coming to the Institute, he served as co-pastor of Christ Tertullian would later say, “The blood of the Because other articles in this issue will ad- Our Shepherd Church and martyrs is the seed of the church.” And in- dress this more fully, I will conclude with Director of The School for deed it was; by the beginning of the fourth Urban Mission, both based three summary ideas. First, each of us must in Washington, D.C. He is century, 10 percent of the population of the begin by earnestly seeking God’s grace to be the author of two books and Roman Empire (about six million people) a more faithful disciple of Jesus ourselves. is a consultant for Church Discipleship Services, devel- had become followers of Jesus. This may involve a renewed commitment oping discipleship programs To be sure, the early church wasn’t per- of all that we are and all that we have to and materials to strengthen the local church. Tom fect. It had problems, as did the churches in him, no matter the cost. Second, we must earned a Doctor of Minis- the apostolic era. But thorough teaching and seek ways to help our own church become try from Fuller Theological discipling, the periodic fires of persecution, Seminary. He is an ordained a community of disciples seeking to fulfill minister in the Evangelical and the ever-present possibility of it, tended the Great Commission in the power of the Church Alliance. to purify the church and ensure that most Holy Spirit. Third, we must endeavor to live members were sincere followers of Jesus. publicly for Christ and seek to be salt and In general, there was relatively little of the light in the world, influencing our family, compromise, nominalism, and worldliness friends, colleagues, and community. that would afflict the church from the time This is what the C.S. Lewis Institute has of Constantine on. As Professor David Cal- been training believers to do for the past houn has said, “They out-lived, out-thought thirty-five years. And more than ever, we and out-died the pagans” and thus awak- are praying that God will raise up a move- ened awe in a world immersed in the dark- ment back to authentic discipleship that will 1 ness of pagan superstition. Summing up the restore our tattered lives, the church, our first three centuries of the church, F.F. Bruce, society, and most of all God’s honor before says, “We review the history of Christianity the watching world. We invite you to join us up to 313 with no sense of shame, but with or some other ministry with this same goal. the sense that here is something to evoke 2 gratitude and inspire courage.” Notes

Ancient and Medieval Church Discipleship, the American Church, 1. David Calhoun, and the Challenge of Our Day History, Covenant Theological Seminary, 1999, course lecture 3. There is widespread recognition that 2. F.F. Bruce, The Spreading Flame (Grand Rapids: v discipleship in the American church falls Eerdmans, 1958), 29.

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 13 C.S. Lewis on Authentic Discipleship (continued from page 3)

when I have come out again into “ordinary” was no region even in the innermost depth of life. I don’t want to be carried away into any one’s soul (nay, there least of all) which one resolution which I shall afterwards regret. could surround with a barbed wire fence and For I know I shall be feeling quite different guard with a notice No Admittance. And after breakfast; I don’t want anything to hap- that was what I wanted; some area, however pen to me at the altar which will run up too small, of which I could say to all other beings, 4 5 big a bill to pay then. “This is my business and mine only.”

The root of the matter, said Lewis, was It is no surprise that Lewis titled the the impulse to “guard the things temporal.” chapter in which he tells of his conversion Now what makes this example so full of “Checkmate.” It is also no surprise that significance is that the demon he identified the epigraph that heads the chapter reads, and faced off with in this sermon was the “The one principle of hell is—‘I am my most pervasive and powerful obstacle to his own.’” For what becomes clear as he nears coming to faith the point of be- in Jesus Christ. lieving is that Speaking of his the intellectual pr e - C h r i st ia n difficulties had understanding all been ad - of the faith in his dressed; there book Surprised were no longer by Joy, he stated any rational bar- that “The hor- riers to belief. ror of the Chris- What remained t i a n u n iver s e was the barrier was that it had of the will. One no door marked is reminded of Exit.” The Chris- G.K. Chester- tian way, in oth- ton’s poignant ers words, was o b s e r v a t i o n : made horrifying precisely because of its “The Christian ideal has not been tried and demands. “No word in my vocabulary,” he found wanting. It has been found difficult; went on to say, “expressed deeper hatred and left untried.”6 Lewis had come face to than the word Interference. But Christian- face with the reality of Chesterton’s point. ity placed at the center what then seemed All his attempts to find Christianity “want- to me a transcendental Interferer.” What ing” had failed. He was now left with the Lewis already knew was that at the center “horrible” prospect of willingly allowing of what it meant to be a Christian was the himself to become someone else’s; and that call to complete surrender and obedience someone else was the one who had both the to Christ. But Lewis wasn’t finished yet. power and the right to hold him account- So great was his aversion to this Christian able to complete and absolute submission— doctrine that he was compelled to further the Transcendental Interferer. describe what becoming a Christian would Now before moving on, I should like to mean for him personally. make a few observations. First, these examples reinforce both Lewis’s understanding If its picture was true then no sort of “treaty of the call to discipleship and his commit- with reality” could ever be possible. There ment to it. Second, they make it quite clear

Page 14 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 that Lewis, like all human beings, was his commands, he stated, is “bliss and sepa- haunted with temptations and conscien- ration from it horror.” Ironically, what had tiously worked at doing what he could to once been his deepest desire and only com- avoid them. Over the years he made notable fort—to be his own—was now the horror, progress both in the sanctity of his personal and what was once the horror had become life and in his understanding of the faith. his ultimate comfort. Reflecting on this, he Among the most recognizable change in his counseled that it would be good for us to re- character over time was a growing humil- mind ourselves that “God is such that if (per ity and compassion in his daily life. Third, impossible) his power could vanish and His they bear witness, particularly in what he other attributes remain, so that the supreme says in “A Slip of the Tongue,” that he took right were forever robbed of the supreme seriously the personal commitments and might, we should still owe Him precisely promises he made before God. And last, the same kind and degree of allegiance as rather than undermining the truth of what we now do.”8 he taught, these examples add integrity and True Christian discipleship, Lewis would a large measure of authenticity to what he have us understand, is first a matter of the had to say about the nature and cost of be- heart—the inner life: the recognition, ac- ing a disciple of Christ. In short, he modeled ceptance, and surrender to God’s absolute the life of a disciple. authority over all the affairs of one’s life Lewis was helped in his ability to grasp and accept this all-encompassing vision of discipleship by what he had been exposed to in his reading of the Greek and Latin True Christian discipleship, Lewis would have us classics—the idea of the absolute right of understand, is first a matter of the heart —the inner God to expect complete obedience. life: the recognition, acceptance, and surrender to

Long since, through the gods of Asgard, and God’s absolute authority… later through the Absolute, He [i.e., God] had taught me how a thing can be revered not for what it can do to us but for what it is in itself. in a way that leaves no place to which one That is why, though it was a terror, it was may call one’s own. But the surrendered no surprise to learn that God is to be obeyed heart, Lewis taught, must also express it- because of what He is in Himself . . . To know self in active obedience to the claims placed God is to know that our obedience is due to upon the believer by the New Covenant. Him. In his nature His sovereignty de jure The heart and will of a disciple are, in fact, 7 [by right] is revealed. inextricably bound together. Lewis’s most poignant commentary on these matters, What had previously been viewed as the particularly the purpose of discipleship and great terror and an unwelcome intrusion the demands it presupposes, are found near in his life, he now accepted as God’s right. the end of Book 4 of Mere Christianity. The suddenness of this change Lewis attrib- Here Lewis made unavoidably clear that uted to the fact that he came to accept the the ultimate purpose or aim of discipleship right of divine sovereignty before the power is to become perfectly Christlike. The Bible of divine sovereignty: the right before the uses such phrases as “putting on Christ,” might. Looking back, he recognized this as “becoming a partaker of the divine nature,” a great good because it settled for him once and “becoming a son or daughter of God,” and for all where the true good of human- to flesh out this idea. It is also embodied, ity lay. Union with God and obedience to Lewis pointed out, in the call to “be per-

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 15 C.S. Lewis on Authentic Discipleship

push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever inconceiv- able purification it may cost you after death, whatever it costs Me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect—until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He said He was well pleased with me. This I can do and 10 will do. But I will not do anything less.”

That this was the ultimate purpose God had in mind for the sending of his Son, Lewis believed, and it accordingly obligated every believer to do what he or she could to assist others in the way of Christlikeness. fect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” a He had, himself, a well-developed sense command he took quite literally. In fact he and awareness that the New Covenant stated that it “is the whole of Christianity” mandate to make disciples had a particu- and that “God became Man for no other lar claim upon his own life and career. I purpose. It is even doubtful . . . whether the do not believe I need to take time here to whole universe was created for any other demonstrate Lewis’s lifetime commitment purpose.”9 God is not about the business of to helping make disciples. One need only making nice people but rather new men and look at the enormous number of letters he women perfected in the likeness of Christ. wrote in answer to people’s requests for Consequently, Lewis went on to say, that doctrinal clarification or spiritual direction, the only help we can expect from the Lord or the seemingly endless list of articles, es- is help in becoming perfect. We may want says, and books he wrote for the same pur- something less, but the Lord is committed pose. What is perhaps worth observing is to nothing less. Lewis was convinced that that Lewis was keenly aware that he had this was the very heart of the gospel and, received the best education the British uni- therefore, was also the heart of the call to versity system could offer, that he held an discipleship. It was the primary reason for academic post at arguably the most signifi- which the Son of God came and suffered cantly placed English university of his day, that he was highly skilled in the art of ar- and died and rose from the grave. This gumentation and possessed unusual liter- he made unavoidably clear in the chapter ary gifts, and he was under orders to bring “Counting the Cost.” these things into the service of Christ and his church, at whatever cost to himself.11 That is why He warned people to “count the What I hope is now quite evident is that cost” before becoming Christians. “Make Lewis possessed a remarkably, perhaps for no mistake,” He says, “if you let me, I will some alarmingly, robust sense of what it make you perfect. The moment you put means to be a disciple: robust in its aware- yourself in My hands, that is what you are ness of its costliness in its temporal aspect in for. Nothing less, or other, than that. You and gloriously robust in its awareness of have the free will, and if you choose, you can its ultimate fulfillment in the eternal state.

Page 16 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 Nowhere did Lewis give expression to both 2. C.S. Lewis, Collected Letters, ed. Walter Hooper these aspects as concisely as in the conclud- (New York: HarperCollins, 2006), 3:39. In this con- ing paragraph of Mere Christianity. text the word whoreson may be understood to mean wretched or hateful. But there must be a real giving up of the self… 3. C.S. Lewis, “A Slip of the Tongue,” in The The principle runs through all life from top Weight of Glory and Other Addresses (New York: to bottom. Give up yourself, and you will find Simon & Schuster, Touchstone, 1996), 137ff. your real self. Lose your life and you will save 4. Ibid., 138. it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions 5. C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My and favorite wishes every day and death of Early Life (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1984), 171, 172. your whole body in the end: submit with 6. G.K. Chesterton, “The Unfinished Temple,” in every fiber of your being, and you will find What’s Wrong with the World, Collected Works (San eternal life. Keep back nothing. Nothing that Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1987), 4:61. you have not given away will ever be really 7. Lewis, Surprised by Joy, 231–32. yours. Nothing in you that has not died will 8. Ibid., 232. ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, 9. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Mac- and you will find in the long run only hatred, millan, 1952), 152–55. loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But 10. Ibid., 158. look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in. 11. For a treatment of Lewis’s sense of stewardship of his gift and academic position and the particular cost to his own life of discipleship, see my chap- Notes ter, “Bearing the Weight of Glory: The Cost of C.S. 1. Although Lewis seldom used the words dis- Lewis’s Witness,” in The Pilgrim’s Guide: C.S. Lewis ciple or discipleship, the biblical idea was present and the Art of Witness, ed. David Mills (Grand Rapids: v when speaking of the believer’s call to a holy life. Eerdmans, 1998), 3–14.

Thomas More said, “If ye make indentures with God how much ye will serve Him, ye shall find ye have signed both of them yourself.” Law, in his terrible, cool voice, said, “Many will be rejected at the last day, not because they have taken no time and pains about their salvation, but because they have not taken time and pains enough”;… ”If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God, it will make in the end no difference what you have chosen instead.” Those are hard words to take. Will it really make no difference whether it was women or patriotism, cocaine or art, whiskey or a seat in the Cabinet, money or science? Well, surely no difference that matters. We shall have missed the end for which we are formed and rejected the only thing that satisfies. Does it matter to a man dying in a desert, by which choice of route he missed the only well? C.S. Lewis

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 17 Becoming a Disciple of Jesus (continued from page 5)

other friends, and devote yourself first and People who are getting married don’t foremost to me? Will you give up sole own- think of what they’re giving up; they think ership of all that you own and share with only of what they are gaining. They don’t me all that have, as I make the same com- think of it as some great sacrifice to be mitment to you? made, or some heavy burden to be borne, Those are incredible requests, yet that’s or some solemn duty to be performed for what marriage entails—no other lovers on some greater good. Getting married is a joy; the side, no secret bank accounts, no high- it’s a delight; it’s a cause for great rejoicing. er loyalties—none. That’s what marriage They want everybody to know about it. A means—or at least it ought to. wedding is a public event, something to cel- And certainly this points to one of the ebrate with a big party! purposes of pre-marital counseling—to Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ spell out what this commitment in mar- must be like that, too. A Christian is one riage looks like. I want couples to read the who wants to gain Christ. When you see small print, so that they can go beyond the his character, his truth, his trustworthiness, romantic thrill associated with getting mar- his overwhelming love and beauty, then ried and face up to the challenge, the com- you desire him as that precious pearl that mitment, and the devotion that marriage is worth everything to obtain. It is with joy requires. Those who are getting married that you go and sell all that you have to gain must first count the cost. I don’t want any that one precious pearl. husband or wife I marry to be able to say The Apostle Paul experienced that. He at some later point when the harsh winds had an impressive resume, and much to of trials or hardship begin to blow, “That’s be proud of, yet he writes, “But whatever not in my contract!” For it is in your con- was to my profit I now consider loss for the tract. Marriage demands everything of you. sake of Christ. What is more, I consider ev- That’s what you sign up for—nothing less. erything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I con- Nothing that this world has to offer can compare to sider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” this surpassing greatness of knowing of Jesus Christ. (Phil. 3:7-8). Nothing that this world has to offer can compare to this surpassing greatness of knowing of Jesus Christ. It’s a funny thing though. Even when Peter expresses the same excitement. He they understand the unconditional contract writes to the Christian believers of their ex- of marriage, people still want to get married. perience of Christ: “Though you have not In fact, they delight to get married. Why is seen him, you love him; and even though that? Because there is something so attrac- you do not see him now, you believe in him tive about their husband- or wife-to-be that and are filled with an inexpressible and they are drawn almost irresistibly to give of glorious joy” (1 Pet. 1:8). It is a surpassing themselves to that person in love. They long greatness, an inexpressible and glorious to enter into that exclusive, intimate, loving joy. This is what is offered to the follower relationship which marriage represents. of Jesus Christ. To gain Christ is to know They dream of the joy which marriage can a satisfaction, a delight, a deep content- bring. They long to entrust themselves to ment that this world knows nothing of. the other, for they believe that their mar- It is a present reality with the promise of riage partner can be trusted with their very an eternal reward. And that pearl can be lives. So they do it. yours—you, too, can be my disciple, Jesus

Page 18 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 says. Everyone can afford it—all it costs is In bed I tossed in misery. all that you have. Do you mean everything, Of course I prayed. By Lord? Yes, everything. faith I was going to have But does that mean mother and father, it licked. Faith? In the wife and children, Lord? Yes, even they presence of so powerful a must be entrusted into my care while you premonition? My mouth follow me. “Will you trust me?” he asks was dry. My limbs shook. each one of us. God was a million miles John White, who was associate pro- away. The hours crawled fessor of psychiatry at the University of by, each one a year of Manitoba and author of a number of very fear. Why didn’t I get helpful Christian books, speaks of his own dressed, hire a car and go struggle with this demand of discipleship back to them? in an extraordinary story from his book, 1 The Cost of Commitment. It is worth quot- “What’s the matter? Can’t ing at length: you trust me?”

Once I had a premonition that my wife and I was startled. Was God infant son would be killed in a flying acci- speaking? dent. We were to travel separately from the U.S. to Bolivia, South America. She would “Yes, I’ll trust you—if you fly via Brazil, Buenos Aires, then north promise to give them back to me.” to Bolivia. I was to visit Mexico, several Central American countries, Venezuela, Silence. Colombia and other countries, to strengthen Christian work among students, before join- Then, “And if I don’t promise? If I don’t give ing them in Bolivia. them back to you, will you stop trusting me?” The premonition came with sickening cer- tainty just before we parted on the night of a Oh God, what are you saying? My heart had wild snowstorm. I felt I was a cowardly fool stopped and I couldn’t breathe. as I drove away and saw Lorrie silhouetted in the yellow light of the doorway, surrounded “Can you not entrust them to me in death as by swirling snowflakes. Why didn’t I go back well as in life?” and tell her I would cancel the flights? Why didn’t I act on this foreboding? Suddenly a physical warmth flowed through all my body. I think I wept a little. My words Yet I felt a fool. I didn’t believe in premo- came tremblingly and weakly, “Yes, I place nitions—and she would probably laugh. them in your hands. I know you will take care Besides I was late, I had to get to the place of them, in life or in death.” where I would spend the night before my early morning flight. Fear, shame, guilt, And my trembling subsided. Peace—better nausea, all boiled inside me during the miser- by far than martinis on an empty stomach— able drive to my hotel. No conversation was flowed over and over me. And drowsily I possible with the man who was driving me. drifted off to sleep.

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 19 Becoming a Disciple of Jesus

Hate them? How could I ever hate them? Yet allows me to keep my options open—isn’t by faith I had said in effect: I will do your will that what it means to be free? Cohabitation whatever it costs to me or them, and I will before or instead of marriage has now be- trust you. come quite normal. Yet no matter how normal it becomes, Their plane crashed. Everyone on board was such cohabitation is a form of deception killed. But my wife had also had a premoni- for the simple reason that it is a result of a tion and cut their journey short, getting off confusion of categories. You see, cohabita- the plane the stop before the tragedy occurred. tion looks a lot like marriage—you have a man and woman living in the same house I am grateful for the way it worked out. But together, sharing the same bed. But, in fact, I didn’t know beforehand that things would it differs from marriage in the one essential go as they did. And had it not worked out thing that makes a marriage a marriage. that way I would have grieved (God knows Cohabiting couples, I’m sure, share a cer- how I would have grieved), but I would not tain kind of romantic love—but it’s a love have regretted my decision to trust and to that’s lacking that one essential element that go forward. comes in true marital love. It lacks commitment—that public pledge of exclusive, un- This is what it means to follow Christ fully. conditional, life-long, loyal love that makes the nature of that relationship very clear to everyone affected by it. Pseudo-Marriage and Pseudo- That’s why cohabiting before marriage Discipleship isn’t a trial marriage at all. It is nothing like The demands of discipleship are like a marriage, for it lacks the one thing that the demands of marriage. But as we think makes a marriage a marriage. And the testi- of marriage, there is a disturbing trend in mony of both the Bible and human history is our culture these days. Instead of getting that the kind of relationship between a man married, many couples are simply living and woman to be had in cohabitation is con- together. In this country, the number of trary to how we were created to live. We are unmarried-couple households recorded by so made that our lives as men and women the Census Bureau multiplied almost ten together most flourish, and the society we times in the last forty years, and almost two live in most flourishes, when men and wom- thirds of the people born between 1963 and en live in exclusive, committed life-long re- 1974 first cohabited, without marrying.2 lationships of loyal love, recognized publicly 3 I have to say, cohabiting seems like a very through the covenant of marriage. sensible thing to do, and I can understand People who cohabit are deceived into its attraction. Surely, no one buys a car with- thinking they are experiencing marriage out first giving it a test drive. Shouldn’t we when they’re not. It’s an imitation, a poor try out living together first before making reflection, a shadow of the real thing. They some big, binding commitment? don’t know what it is to give of themselves And why do we even need to make that fully and to live with someone who is com- kind of commitment anyway. We love each mitted to them with all their heart and soul other—isn’t that all that counts. And if we unconditionally, exclusively, with a love no longer love each other, then why should that only death can destroy. have to stay together? If someone else comes Now let’s get back to those hard words along who attracts me, why should I have to of Jesus we’ve been considering: “If any- be locked in to just one partner? Cohabiting one comes to me and does not hate his

Page 20 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 father and mother, his wife and children, Do you see what this means? It means his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own that a lot a people are deceived. They think life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone they can engage in spiritual cohabitation, who does not carry his cross and follow me having a kind of spiritual relationship with cannot be my disciple. . . . In the same way, God without any sort of public and exclu- any of you who does not give up everything sive commitment. They think they can have he has cannot be my disciple.” a relationship on their own private terms, Notice carefully the word “cannot” in when they want it, however it suits them, that phrase. Jesus doesn’t say that if you without that unconditional and exclusive don’t love him above all else that he won’t commitment to Christ. allow you to be his disciple, as if it were a Superficially, what they have looks like matter of his giving you his permission. The real Christianity. But it is fundamental- word here is dynatai, which suggests not ly different, and it lacks the core of what permission but possibility. In other words, makes a person a follower of Christ. Jesus it’s not possible to be Jesus’ disciple without demands that we give him our lives—it’s these conditions. A failure to commit your- that simple. And is that asking too much? self to him exclusively and unconditionally We’d do it for a husband or wife; why not is incompatible with what it means to be a for the God of the universe? follower of Jesus Christ. Isn’t this what baptism means for someone who comes to be baptized as an adult? Imagine for a moment someone coming Their baptism is like a wedding. It is that to the wedding altar and saying that, Yes, public act by which they say, I want to be I want to get married to you, so long as I joined to Christ—forever. I am willing to can continue to sleep around with other die with Jesus Christ—to go down in the women, and I can just give you 10% of my grave with him, so that I might be raised income, and I’m free to come and go in this with him. In faith I give all that I am, so that marriage whenever I like. No, you don’t get it, we would say, that’s not marriage, that’s something else entirely. That’s not what marriage means. And what is so sad about this deception is that many Jesus is saying the same thing about people try this kind of co-habiting Christianity and find being his disciple. It means an exclusive, unconditional, loyal love that is supreme it dull, boring and entirely unfulfilling. Consequently, in one’s life. To have a relationship with they either give it up altogether, or just continue to go God himself through Jesus Christ is like a through the motions, engaging in religious activities, marriage--it requires this kind of commitment, in a sense, by definition. Without it, with no expectations, no satisfaction and no joy. there can be no relationship at all. You can have a half-hearted, semi-committed relationship with a pagan god, perhaps, but not I may gain all that he is. And in baptism we with Yahweh, the Lord, the God of the Bible also see visibly displayed God’s pledge of who created the heaven and earth and who commitment to us in the gospel as we are has now revealed himself in Jesus Christ. joined to Christ. It’s just not possible. He is a jealous God; he I’ve heard of people refusing to be bap- will tolerate no rivals—you shall have no tized simply because they don’t want to be other gods before him. There is simply no seen with their hair wet! Can such a person other way to relate to this God. really be a disciple of Jesus? What would

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 21 Becoming a Disciple of Jesus

you think of a bride or groom too embar- Once we see Christ for who he is, and we rassed to get up in front of a church to say taste the sweetness of his love and grace, we their wedding vows? Do they understand will not see these words of Jesus as some what marriage is about? You’d say, they just onerous demand upon us. Instead, we don’t get it. And many who are a part of will see this as our natural response to his that crowd of people who gathered around beauty and grace. What joy we will find in Jesus just didn’t understand that when Jesus offering him more and more of ourselves! calls a man, to use the words of Dietrich Our deepest desire will be to grow in our Bonhoeffer, he bids him come and die. They knowledge of Christ. This is what it means want a casual relationship, but he won’t have it. It simply can’t work that way. to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. And what is so sad about this deception By the way, I saw a new military ad on is that many people try this kind of co- television not long ago. It was from the Ma- habiting Christianity and find it dull, bor- rines. It said, “We don’t accept applications, ing and entirely unfulfilling. Consequently, only commitments.” I think Jesus would they either give it up altogether, or just con- agree. Being a disciple of Jesus requires our tinue to go through the motions, engaging all—and he desires to give you his all. There in religious activities, with no expectations, can be no greater joy than that. no satisfaction and no joy. It’s the same way many people respond to a cohabiting rela- Notes tionship, and so they reject marriage, when, in fact, they’ve never tried it. 1. John White, The Cost of Commitment (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1976), pp. 62-64. But just as God created us to prosper as 2. Nancy Cott, Public Vows: A History of Marriage men and women together in the relationship and the Nation (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University of marriage which is by definition, exclusive Press, 2000), p. 203. and unconditional, so God has created us to 3. That’s true for all sorts of reasons—not least be- prosper as human beings in a relationship cause that is the environment in which children are with himself which is by definition, exclu- best brought into the world and nurtured into adult- sive and unconditional. Anything less is a hood. That is the chief reason that the state has an in- v poor imitation of the real thing. terest in regulating, and promoting, marriage.

Christ says, ‘Give me all. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work. I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don’t want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down. I don’t want to drill the tooth, or crown it, or stop [fill] it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desire you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked - the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you myself; my own will shall become yours.’ C.S. Lewis

Page 22 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 Recommended Reading There are a number of good books on discipleship. The ones listed below are especially helpful:

On Discipleship

In His Image: ReflectingC hrist in Everyday Life, Michael J. Wilkins This book is a tested and proven guide for helping believers understand what it means to become like Jesus Christ. It insightfully explains the process through which this transformation takes place and encourages believers in the pursuit of Christ. Well suited to anyone wishing to grow deeper in Christ.

Spiritual Discipleship, J. Oswald Sanders In a clear, wise, and readily accessible way, this book addresses many of the key themes of discipleship. Well grounded in Scripture and mature spiritual experience, this book provides a very good foundation for those who want to be true disciples of Jesus. Includes study questions for small groups.

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones A classic treatment of the Sermon on the Mount by one of England’s greatest expository preachers. Its biblical faithfulness, spiritual depth, and practical application have profoundly impacted many people since it first appeared in print. Originally given in sermon form, this book is very readable. Good for pastors, church leaders, and those who have been believers for a while and are hungering for more depth.

Vision and Resources

Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time, Greg Ogden A veteran pastor and educator lays out a thoroughly biblical, highly relational, and eminently practical vision for discipleship and discipling in the local church. A great resource for developing a growing cadre of disciple makers in the congregation and nurturing a culture of discipleship. Ideal preparation for using the author’s Discipleship Essentials curriculum (below). Great for pastors and church leaders and anyone interested in the ministry of discipleship.

Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ, Greg Ogden This discipleship curriculum has become a classic, having sold more than 100,000 copies since first published in 1998. Theologically sound and pedagogically effective, it focuses on the foundational doctrines and practices needed to establish a healthy, growing, and reproducing relationship with Christ. Designed for groups of three or four but effective in other configurations as well, this twenty- five-lesson curriculum provides the content for a relational process of discipleship. Excellent for use in churches, campus ministry, or groups of friends wanting to grow deeper together.

Mentoring for Spiritual Growth: Sharing the Journey of Faith, Tony Horsfall Written by an experienced pastor and disciple maker in the UK, this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to help another person grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ. It provides valuable insight into the personal spiritual mentoring aspect of the discipleship process and will be helpful to those who are just beginning to mentor as well as those who have been mentoring for some time. Highly recommended.

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Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 23 The Discipleship Deficit (continued from page 7)

that leading the Christian life is going to all spheres of life; the reality is that a sizable require spiritual discipline. numbers of believers have relegated faith to Yet when we turn from the scriptural the personal, private realm. picture to the today’s church, we observe The dominant theme of Jesus’ public another version of the 80/20 rule. Studies ministry was the proclamation of the good have shown that only one out of six adults news of the kingdom of God. The future, who attend Christian worship are involved long-awaited kingdom had actually broken in some type of group or relational process into this present darkness in the person of that is designed to help them grow spiri- the King, Jesus Christ. The promise is that tually. George Barna comments pointedly those who “repent and believe the gospel” on his own research, “In a society as fast- (Mark 1:15) are transferred from the king- moving and complex as ours, people have dom of darkness to the kingdom of the to make choices every minute of the day. beloved Son (Col. 1:13). A new authority is Unless people have a regular and focused established in the hearts of Jesus’ follow- exposure to the foundations of their faith, ers that affects all that we are in all that we do in all spheres of life. In other words, we are fundamentally kingdom people. This The Scriptures picture discipleship as means Jesus is Lord in our hearts, homes, impacting all spheres of life; the reality is that and workplace, our attitudes, thoughts, and desires, our relationships and moral deci- a sizable numbers of believers have relegated sions, our political convictions and social faith to the personal, private realm. conscience, etc. Yet the reality is that we sadly suffer today from the same bifurcated existence the chances of Christians consistently that Martin Luther addressed almost five making choices to reflect biblical principles hundred years ago with Reformation force. are minimal.”4 In his Open Letter to the German Nobility, Lu- According to Barna, fewer than one in ther said that the first wall of Romanism five born-again adults has any specific and was a false distinction between what he measurable goals related to his or her own called the “spiritual estate” and “temporal spiritual development. Barna interviewed estate.”7 In Luther’s day, the “spiritual es- hundreds of people, including church lead- tate” was the realm of the church and its ers and pastors, and yet, shockingly, he holy orders, which took precedence over concluded, “Not one of the adults we inter- and elevated itself above the “temporal es- viewed said that their goal in life was to be tate,” which was the realm of government a committed follower of Jesus Christ or to and the common life. Luther attempted to make disciples of the entire world—or even break down the wall between the sacred their entire block.”5 Dallas Willard adds the and secular, declaring that in kingdom exclamation point, “The fact is that there is terms everything is sacred. now lacking a serious and expectant inten- Unfortunately we still suffer under the tion to bring Jesus’ people into obedience false notion that the religious realm lies in and abundance through training.”6 the sacred, private sphere. The sacred is as- 3. Discipleship Affects All of Life. The sociated with the church, family, and the Scriptures picture discipleship as impacting interior heart commitments of the individu-

Page 24 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 als. Religion is a private affair that has little equivalent to the proportion of non-Chris- impact on the public arenas of life, such as tians who hold similar views indicates how the workplace, politics, and other major in- meaningless Christianity has been in the stitutions of society involving economics, lives of millions of professed believers.”8 education, and the media. There is a discon- Regarding materialism and measuring nect for many Christians when it comes to success, half the Christian public never has seeing ourselves as representatives of the enough money to buy what they need or kingdom of God in what we spend most of want. One in four Christians think that the our time doing—our jobs. I find that many more you have, the more successful you are. fellow believers unconsciously take off their “Christian hat” when they walk through the doorway of the workplace and put on Many have concluded that the church, far from their “secular hat.” It is assumed that they being countercultural, does not look much different play by a completely different set of rules when it comes to their secular employment from the unchurched population. versus the way we live in the sacred realm. How out of step this is with Jesus’ message of the kingdom! To the extent that the church is simply re- 4. A Countercultural Force. The Scrip- duced today to an aggregate of individuals tures picture the Christian community as who shop like consumers to meet their own needs, we do not have the basis for com- a countercultural force; the reality is that munity in any biblical sense. How can we we see isolated individuals whose lifestyle possibly build countercultural communities and values are not much different from the out of such porous material? unchurched. 5. An Essential, Chosen Organism. John Stott describes the church of the The Scriptures picture the church as an es- Lord’s intention as a community of “radi- sential, chosen organism in whom Christ cal nonconformity.” This phrase is a helpful dwells, the reality is that Christian people summary of some of the biblical metaphors view the church as an optional institution, for the church. The images of alien, exile, unnecessary for discipleship. and sojourner capture the relationship of The church of Jesus Christ is nothing less believers to this present world (1 Pet. 2:11). than his corporate replacement on earth. The church in the biblical scheme is to be The late Ray Stedman succinctly described a body whose collective lifestyle forms a Christ’s relationship to the church: “The life countercultural alternative to the values of of Jesus is still being manifest among people, the dominant society. but now no longer through an individual If that was true then, what is it that peo- physical body, limited to one place on earth, ple see today when they look at the church? but through a complex, corporate body called Many have concluded that the church, far the church.”9 The apostle Paul’s most funda- from being countercultural, does not look mental image for the church is the “body of much different from the unchurched popu- Christ.” When Paul uses this phrase it is far lation. After looking at a number of catego- more than a nice word picture or metaphor. ries of lifestyle and values, George Barna He is not saying that the church is like the concluded, “The fact that the proportion body of Christ, but literally is the body of of Christians who affirm these values is Christ. This is the place where Christ dwells.

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 25 The Discipleship Deficit

The implication that follows is that the 6. Biblically Informed People. The church is not some optional afterthought for Scriptures picture believers as biblically those who name Christ as their Lord. The informed people whose lives are founded church is central to God’s plan of salvation. on revealed truth; but in reality, most are God saves people into a new community, biblically ignorant people whose lives are a which is the vanguard of a new humanity. syncretistic compromise. To be called to Christ is to throw one’s lot in The Scriptures of the Old and New Tes- with his people. tament are the trustworthy depository of Yet it is this optional attitude toward the the self-revelation of God to humanity. church that surfaces in our individualistic, This is the historic Christian confession take-our-own-coun- about the unique- sel c ult ure. How ness of the Bible. does this optional at- Jesus Christ is the titude express itself? Word made flesh, Being integral- while the Bible is the ly involved in the God-breathed writ- church is not a ne- ten Word that is the cessity for Christian reliable witness to living. My wife and I his actions in history. visited a well-known Although we would Southern California affirm that truth can church one year on be found beyond the Sunday follow- Scripture, the test ing Easter. The focus of what is true is an- of the message was chored in the written to speak to the 2,100 Word of God. people who had in- Yet in spite of dicated they had what we a f f i r m made a decision to about the unique- receive Christ dur- ness of this book, ing the Easter ser- Christians in gen- vices. The teacher of eral are ignorant of the morning asked its content and hold the worshipers: “Is convictions that are it necessary to go to contrary to its clear church or be a part of the church to be a and central teaching. There is a surpris- Christian?” His answer? “No, it is not nec- ing disjunction between the attitude that essary.” I had to do everything I could not people have about the Bible and their to bolt straight up from my seat and shout, knowledge of it. George Gallup has writ- “Yes, it is absolutely necessary to be a part ten, “Americans revere the Bible—but, by of the church if you are a Christian!” Unfor- and large, they don’t read it.”10 According tunately that is not the prevailing wisdom, to Gallup, 65 percent of the adult popu- apparently even from those who should lation agreed that the Bible “answers all know better. or most of the basic questions of life.”11

Page 26 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 In spite of this affirmation, there is an come to find that they too have been written appalling ignorance of the book we put into this redemptive drama. on a pedestal. For example, 53 percent in How are we doing in telling the story? Barna’s survey believed that the saying When believers are asked if they have “God helps those who help themselves” intentionally built a relationship with is a biblical truth. someone with the hope of being able to But even more disturbing than not lead the person to Christ, only one in ten knowing certain factual data is the prev- could affirm that they had. “Fewer than alence of holding basic beliefs that are one in five said that they knew a nonbe- contrary to biblical affirmation. In a na- liever well enough that they could share tionwide survey, 61 percent believed that their faith with an individual in a context 13 the Holy Spirit was not a living entity but of trust and credibility.” a symbol of God’s presence and power; A major contributing factor to this inhi- whereas 58 percent believed the devil or bition is the intimidation that comes from Satan was not a living being, but only a living in a culture that shuns absolute symbol of evil. Perhaps the most disturb- truth. The only truth that is recognized to- ing finding was that four out of ten people day is personal truth. Any claim that there actively involved in Christian discipleship is a truth that is true for all is met with relationships believed that there was no disdain and the accusation that you are be- such thing as absolute truth.12 ing judgmental. On many occasions I have No assumptions should be made about what people know or the beliefs they hold. 7. People Who Share Their Faith. The Perhaps the most disturbing finding was that four Scriptures picture all believers as those who out of ten people actively involved in Christian share the story of their faith in Christ with discipleship relationships believed that there was others; in reality, we are an intimidated no such thing as absolute truth. people who shrink from personal witness. We are called to be storytellers. The Bible spins a love story of God’s pursuit of way- braced myself for the pushback, “You mean ward humanity. For those who have been to tell me, if I don’t accept Christ, I am go- captured by Jesus Christ, we each have a ing to hell?”! Each time I have swallowed story to tell of how God chased us down hard and somewhat reluctantly said, “Je- and embraced us in his loving arms. In so sus is the One in whom God has revealed doing, the Lord has written us as characters himself and through him made provision into his grand redemptive drama. We each for us to be made right with him.” It seems have an assigned part to play on the stage so intolerant in an age where tolerance is of history, which is the realm in which God equated with grace. writes his story. As unique as each of us is, In this atmosphere of intimidation, we there is a common story line written into must ask ourselves: What do we have to the script for each of our lives. “You shall offer? Do we truly believe that we have be my witnesses,” Jesus says (Acts 1:8). We something that is so vital and person- each have our story and the story to tell. For ally life giving that we have something it is in the sharing of the story that others to give away?

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Where Are We Going? of the church seeks for his bride to be without spot and blemish. For it is through his Is this an accurate picture of the state of church that his life will be manifest. discipleship today? Does this accord with your reality? If this portrait of the gap be- Notes tween the biblical standard and the current state of discipleship is close to being ac- 1. Max De Pree, Leadership Is an Art (New York: curate, then there is enormous work to be Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, 1989), 11. done if the gap is to be closed. 2. American Religious Identification Survey 2008, John Kotter, in his book Leading Change, http://www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org/ says that the number-one reason for change 3. George Barna, Growing True Disciples (Ventura, not to occur is a lack of a sense of urgen- CA: Issachar Resources, 2000), 62. 4. Barna, Growing True Disciples, 2. cy.14 Leadership is about instilling urgency, 5. Ibid., 11. which comes about by identifying the gaps 6. Dallas Willard, 7. Martin Luther, Three Treatises: An Open Letter to the German Nobility (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, Leadership is about instilling urgency, which comes 1960), 14–17. about by identifying the gaps between what is and 8. Bill Hull, The Disciple Making Pastor (Grand Rap- ids: Revell, 1988), 21.9. what should be in God’s scheme. It is defining reality 9. Ray Stedman, Body Life (Glendale, CA: Regal, as it is and calling God’s people to the possibilities 1972), 37. and dreams of what God intended us to be. 10. George Gallup Jr. and Jim Castelli, The People’s Religion (New York: Macmillan, 1989), 60. 11. Alec Gallup and Wendy W. Simmons, The Gal- lup Organization, Poll Releases: October 20, 2000. between what is and what should be in 12. Barna Research Online, American Bible Knowl- God’s scheme. It is defining reality as it is edge Is in the Ballpark, but Often off Base (July 12, 2000). and calling God’s people to the possibilities 13. Ibid., 52. and dreams of what God intended us to be. 14. John P. Kotter, Leading Change (Boston: Har- It is only as we take a sober assessment of vard Business School Press, 1996), 35. the way things are that we can have any hope of getting to the way things were designed to Abridged version of Chapter 1 of Transforming Discipleship: v be. We have hope because Jesus as the Lord Making Disciples of Few at a Time

In a civilization like ours, I feel that everyone has to come to terms with the claims of Jesus Christ upon his life, or else be guilty of inattention or of evading the question. C.S. Lewis

Page 28 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 (continued from page 23) Recommended Reading

Mobilizing the Church for Discipleship The Trellis and the Vine, Colin Marshall and Tony Payne The authors minister in the post-Christian culture of Australia and present an exciting and proven approach for organizing the local church around the gospel and the Great Commission. The focus is on developing disciples (the vine) who will reach out to their families, coworkers, and community to share the gospel and make disciples. Church structures (the trellis) are made subservient to this end. Pastors, elders, and church leaders will find here a mind-shift about ministry that can revolutionize and reenergize their service to God.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, David Platt This powerful book challenges believers to compare their lives and churches to the teachings of Jesus and the early church. The author, pastor of a four-thousand-member church, challenges read- ers to abandon worldly values such as the “American Dream,” give themselves wholeheartedly to Jesus as his disciples, and live accordingly, no matter the cost. Many inspiring examples are given of people who are gladly accepting the challenge and as a result experiencing transformation and impacting missions. This author has three master’s degrees and a doctorate in New Testament and has produced a theologically sound and personally compelling book. A great book to impart vision to anyone—from pastors to new believers.

Theology of Discipleship Following the Master, Michael J. Wilkins This book is a biblical theology of discipleship by the foremost scholar on discipleship of our day. Focused primarily on the New Testament, it surveys various contemporary views of discipleship, noting their strengths and weaknesses, then explores discipleship in the ancient world and in the Bible, examining all the biblical texts related to discipleship in any way. Conclusions emerge with clarity, dispelling the fog and confusion that has surrounded this subject in evangelicalism for the past sixty years. This book is essential reading for pastors and ministry leaders who want to do authentic, biblically based discipleship in the church or parachurch.

Patterns of Discipleship in the New Testament, Ed. Richard Longenecker Richard Longenecker and twelve other New Testament scholars examine various aspects of discipleship in the New Testament. Covers not only the Gospels but also the epistles of Paul and writers of other epistles. Helpful in showing how the concept of discipleship is present throughout the New Testament (not only in the Gospels) even though the word is not used. Recommended for pastors, theological students, and lay people wanting more depth.

Following Jesus, The Servant King: A Biblical Theology of Covenantal Discipleship, Jonathan Lunde The author presents a sweeping theology of discipleship, seen through God’s covenants in both the Old and New Testaments. He sets discipleship in its fullest biblical context and greatly expands our perspective. Helps us understand what it means to follow Jesus and the grace he provides to enable the obedience he requires. This is a good book for pastors, missionaries, and others in ministry who want a deeper theological grounding in discipleship. A great complement to Following the Master, by Michael Wilkins (above).

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Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 29 Discipleship for Changing Times and Ministries (continued from page 9)

accurate conception is seen clearly when of transformation for all believers, not just a we go to Jesus’ final command, the Great few specially committed ones. Commission, where we understand that a Discipleship emphases of the past sixty person who believes on Jesus for salvation years have focused upon isolated disciple- is a disciple at conversion. Jesus said that ship passages of Scripture or particular bib- we are to make disciples of all the nations lical discipleship themes in order to provide (Matt. 28:18–20), not to make disciples out of specialized ministry. However, this special- Christians. So at the moment a person be- ization has often come at the expense of a lieves in Jesus and receives eternal life, that full biblical portrait of discipleship. A more person becomes a disciple of Jesus, and the complete definition of what it means to be ongoing process of growth in the Christian a disciple of Jesus Christ moves in the fol- life for all believers is discipleship. lowing direction: Therefore, all true believers are disciples Discipleship means living a fully hu- of Jesus; the point is whether or not they man life in this world in union with Jesus are obedient disciples. Further, in this more Christ, growing in conformity to his image wholistic understanding, discipleship is not as the Spirit transforms us from the inside- just one aspect of the church’s mission, but it out, being nurtured within a community of encompasses all that the church does. Disci- disciples who are engaged in that lifelong process, and helping others to know and become like Jesus. The fundamental picture of discipleship that we find in the pages of Scripture is the centrality of Jesus as the Essentials of Discipleship for One we follow minute by minute through life. Disciple-Making Ministries With this definition in mind, we can explore the following essential features of pleship is the ministry of the church in help- biblical discipleship that must characterize ing all believers to grow in their discipleship all of our attempts to develop a disciple- to Jesus and reaching out to bring non-Chris- making ministry. tians to Jesus to become his disciples. Discipleship originates with a gracious The prevalence of elitism in many of our call from Jesus to enter into an intimate traditions explains why many people are relationship with him. frustrated in their Christian life. A two-level conception of the Christian life promotes ap- In contrast to the form of discipleship athy among those who haven’t yet chosen to found among the scribes and rabbis of Je- be committed, and it suggests that the higher sus’ day, where a person earned the right level of commitment is optional, which in the to be called a disciple through intense daily world of most Christians means that study and commitment, Jesus called men commitment to Christlikeness is optional. and women to him to be his disciples solely The fundamental picture of discipleship and only on the basis of grace. Whether it that we find in the pages of Scripture is the was calling Peter and Andrew by the Sea of centrality of Jesus as the One we follow Galilee (Matt. 4:18–22) or offering salvation minute by minute through life, and a disci- to the citizens of the city of Ephesus (Eph. pleship that has at its core a radical promise 2:8–9), discipleship to Jesus originates with

Page 30 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 a gracious call from Jesus, and it is a call ministries must help new and older Chris- that must be obeyed from the heart as we tians to find their identity in being Jesus’ enter into an intimate, transforming rela- disciple in all of our relationships in the tionship with him. home, the workplace, the community, and the church. Discipleship must be grounded in a personal, costly relationship with a seeking Savior. The new life that comes at regeneration cost Jesus, and it costs us. Although it is nothing we can buy, it is costly nonetheless. The cost is life. Jesus’ life and our life. The cost of Jesus’ life was given in his death on the cross. He came seeking those who were spiritually ill to make them well and fit for his kingdom. This initiative could only be accomplished through the penalty he paid for our sins in his loving act of redemption on the cross. He gave his life so that we might have life (1 Cor. 6:19–20; Mark 10:45). The cost for us is likewise our life. While Jesus’ death on the cross is unique, we also lose our life through taking up our own cross (Matt. 16:24–26). Discipleship begins with intentional evangelism that challenges people to count Discipleship must be initiated and em- the cost of accepting Jesus’ call to life in the powered by the Spirit of God. kingdom of God, which will prepare them The spiritual life that accompanied Jesus’ to engage in and expect personal transfor- inauguration of the kingdom of God was mation as the normal Christian life. initiated by the Spirit of God (John 3:5–6). Discipleship must begin with and strive This phenomenon is described from differ- toward a transformed identity in Jesus. ent perspectives by different New Testa- From the moment of salvation God views ment authors: regeneration (Titus 3:5); new us differently. We have been born into a birth and born again (1 Pet. 1:3, 23); spiritual new identity as his children (John 1:12–13). resurrection (Rom. 6:13; Eph. 2:5) and new We are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:10); God’s seed who are now in process of being trans- in us (1 John 3:9). formed into (2 Cor. 3:18), and conformed to We are different persons once the Spirit (Rom. 8:29) the image of Christ, as Christ is gives us new life. The supernatural work being formed in us (Gal. 4:19). of God deep within our soul implants new Our identity as a disciple of Jesus affects spiritual life in us, and from that moment all that we are, including the way we see the direction of our lives is placed Godward ourselves, the way we relate to God, and the as the Spirit begins to produce new life— way we relate to others. Disciple-making the very life of Jesus—in ours.

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 31 Discipleship for Changing Times and Ministries (continued from page 31)

John’s gospel gives us three characteristics Discipleship must be continually guided of Spirit-empowered discipleship that gives by God’s Word. direction to our discipleship ministries: Discipleship ministries help their people Being set free from the lies of the world to adopt a radical commitment to the au- by Jesus’ truth (John 8:31–32). This kind of thority of the Word of God as the absolute freedom is the Spirit-empowered ability to truth about reality. This is not simply the do the right and good thing, the ability to acquisition of truth, but the internalization choose God, to be liberated from sin’s bond- of truth so that it expresses our worldview, age. Discipleship means to help disciples to characterizes our values, and conveys our entire lifestyle. As we teach our people to know the Discipleship is developed within the spiritual Word of God, we equip them to compare God’s Word with the values of the world so family and the biological family. Disciple-making that they can follow Jesus obediently in all ministries unite these two families and show how of their circumstances (Matt. 28:20). they work to support and strengthen each other. Discipleship must develop through a whole-life, life-long process of becoming more fully human. reject the lies of the world about our values Because of being created in the image of and goals, and to find freedom to live life the God, humans are like God and represent way that God intended it to be lived by con- God in a way unlike any other creature tinually hearing Jesus’ truth about reality. (Gen. 1:27–31). The image of God is some- Being loved by Jesus means to love like thing in our nature as humans and refers to Jesus (John 13:34–35). I define this kind what we are (e.g., mentally, morally, spiritu- of love as “an unconditional commitment ally, relationally), rather than something we to imperfect people in which we give our- have or do. Sin distorted the image of God selves to bring our relationships to God’s in humans by affecting every aspect of our intended purpose.” Discipleship helps dis- likeness to him, yet the restoration process ciples to express this kind of love in our has begun with our redemption in Christ marriages, our parenting, and our relation- (e.g., Col. 3:10). ships within the church and world. Helping Therefore, discipleship ministries help disciples to experience Jesus’ love enables believers to develop in every area of life as them to love others. whole persons, helping them to transition Bearing the fruit of being united to Je- intentionally through all of life’s dimen- sus (John 15:7–8). Our ongoing transforma- sions and stages, so that they are continu- tion into the image of Christ comes through ally growing into his image. A disciple of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23), which Jesus is intent upon becoming more fully a means that the Spirit of God is the central disciple in every area of life. empowering agency of our discipleship I had a radical conversion to Jesus, away to Jesus. Disciple-making ministries teach from a life of drugs and pleasure seeking. our people how to walk in the power of the I discovered that my life as Jesus’ disciple Spirit, so that their lives exude the fruit of helped me to become more the way that I the Spirit and the fruit of godly righteous- was intended to be as a human created in ness (Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:10). God’s image. That continues to affect every

Page 32 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 area of my life, including my marriage and Discipleship must be carried out by so- family life, my enjoyment of God’s creation journing in our everyday, watching world. as I surf or walk a mountain trail, or in my In this earthly life, a human is a sojourn- growth in serving Jesus in my profession. er, a resident alien (Ps. 39:12). The creation Discipleship must be nurtured in commu- awaits its renewal, and it groans under nities of faith. bondage to sin and decay (Rom. 8:19–22). Regenerated disciples, however, live as Each individual disciple enjoys a person- people who have been set free from death al relationship with Christ that facilitates and sin; our transformation has already transformation into his image, but that per- begun. Therefore, we are at this time not sonal relationship must be nurtured within of this world; our citizenship is in heaven two primary communities of faith—the (Phil. 3:20), and we are aliens and strangers spiritual family and the biological family. in the world (1 Pet. 2:11). The spiritual family is the church, en- Nonetheless, our purpose for being trance to which is based on obeying the here is to advance the gospel message will of the Father and experiencing the new that has redeemed and transformed us, birth (Matt. 12:46–50; John 1:12–13; Matt. to be salt and light in a decayed and dark 16:18). Brothers and sisters in Christ need world, and to live out life in the way God one another as a spiritual community of intended life to be lived before a watching faith to stimulate the growth of individuals world (John 17:15–21). as well as the body as a whole (Heb. 10:24– 25; Eph. 4:11–13). But the biological family continues to play a major role in God’s program. Mar- The tremendous privilege that we all have in riage is a relationship in which husbands the Christian life is to walk with Jesus as his and wives mutually nurture each other’s disciples and to be continually transformed into transformation, while the parental role is designed to nurture children to know the his image as we grow in our discipleship to him. will of God for their lives and help them to grow as whole persons reflecting the image of Christ (Eph. 5:22–6:4). Communities of faith are necessary for A disciple-making ministry accepts its purposeful gathering away where believ- responsibility to equip families so that hus- ers are strengthened and equipped. But the bands and wives can nurture each other growth and transformation that we experi- and so that parents can nurture their own ence is what enables us to live effectively children. In turn, the responsibility of the with Jesus in this world. Our transforma- family is to be the training grounds for the tion enables us to live as sojourners in the next generation of leaders within the church world, and “live such good lives among (e.g., 1 Tim. 3:4–5; Titus 1:6–7). the pagans that… they may see your good Discipleship is developed within the deeds and glorify God” (1 Pet. 2:11–12). spiritual family and the biological family. Disciple-making churches help trans- Disciple-making ministries unite these two formed disciples to know how to bear and families and show how they work to sup- exemplify the message of the gospel of the port and strengthen each other. kingdom in our everyday realm of activi-

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 33 The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are. C.S. Lewis

ties, offering the life of Jesus’ kingdom to a transforms Christians for this life through world that is dying without it. the ministry of the church and parachurch ministries. As a new, powerful wave of Discipleship is not just another program, discipleship breaks upon the shores of our but transformation. ministries, we have the joyous privilege of The tremendous privilege that we all helping our people know how to surf it ef- have in the Christian life is to walk with fectively. Disciple-making ministries help Jesus as his disciples and to be continually everyday men and women who are being transformed into his image as we grow in transformed as Jesus’ disciples to be light in our discipleship to him. Our Lord Jesus is a dark place, and to be the living example of still at work calling men and women to fol- the hope of transformation that our world low him today, and our joyous task is to join so desperately needs. him in fashioning our ministries to serve Disciple-making ministries help disciples him to that end. of every age of life and stage of growth to But this is not just another optional pro- know how to walk with Jesus and to be v gram (see sidebar, “Disciple Making and transformed by him in every area of life. ‘Discipleship Programs’”). Rather, discipleship is central to all that we do. Discipleship Adapted by the author from an article originally pub- is the expression of how God equips and lished in the journal Enrichment (Winter 2008): 41–46.

Disciple Making and “Discipleship Programs”

Discipleship programs can be help- growth. This “cookie-cutter” approach ful because they give us tangible meth- to discipleship expects everyone to look ods and outcomes. When programs are exactly like the model laid out by the proven to be effective in helping gain particular program. We expect people knowledge or solidify behaviors or pro- to perform according to the form that duce desired leaders, they can be used our program lays out. over and over with a variety of people If programs help, we should use in many diverse settings. them. But we need to be careful not But programs can also entice us to to be enticed to force a program that substitute methods and forms for peo- destroys the uniqueness of individuals ple. They often focus most on exter- or is a substitute for the living example nal behavior as a means of evaluating of Jesus in the lives of our people

Page 34 • Knowing & Doing | Spring 2011 Knowing & Doing is a publication of the C.S. Lewis Institute, Inc.

SENIOR FELLOWS “…when you became a Christian, you answered James M. Houston, Ph.D. William L. Kynes, Ph.D. the first call of the disciple, the invitation to put Arthur W. Lindsley, Ph.D. Christopher W. Mitchell, Ph.D. aside your own attempts to save yourself and to TEACHING FELLOWS Thomas S. Heard, Ph.D. Chris T. Morris lead your life your own way.” Stuart McAlpine Randy Newman Michael Wilkins, In His Image Joel S. Woodruff, Ed.D.

PRESIDENT (continued from page 29) Kerry A. Knott

DIRECTOR OF MINISTRY Thomas A. Tarrants, III, D.Min.

Recommended EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Reading Thomas W. Simmons OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR There are a number of good books on discipleship. Karen J. Adams The ones listed below are especially helpful: Program and Event Commentaries on Matthew Coordinator Emily Tease The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, John Stott OFFICE & EDITORIAL ASSISTANT This is a clear, well-written, biblically faithful treatment of the Karen Olink meaning and application of the Sermon on the Mount by one of the greatest Bible teachers of the twentieth century. Very Office VolunteerS readable and edifying. Recommended for pastors, church lead- Charlie Cossairt ers, and lay persons who want to understand the Sermon on Connie Phelps the Mount. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Timothy Bradley The Gospel According to Matthew, Leon Morris, Bill Deven Pillar Commentary Series Elizabeth B. Fitch, Esq. A great commentary by a brilliant scholar who is devoted to Cherie Harder Christ and brings to the text deep scholarship, spiritual insight, James R. Hiskey warmth, and great clarity. Pastors, church leaders, and Bible Robin King Kerry A. Knott students will all find much value in this work. Steven J. Law Jeff Lindeman, Ph.D. Matthew: From Biblical to Contemporary Life, Arthur W. Lindsley, Ph.D., Michael J. Wilkins, NIV Application Commentary Series (Emeritus) An exceptional commentary. For each unit of text in Matthew, Chris T. Morris the author explains what it meant in the first century, then he Marlise Streitmatter examines the cultural differences between then and now. Fi- Susan Ward nally, he brings out its application to life in the contemporary world. Great for pastors and lay people. Knowing & Doing Production Editor Crystal Mark Sarno

Knowing & Doing is published by the C.S. Lewis Institute and is available upon request. A suggested annual contribution of $50 or more is requested to provide for its production and publication. Permission is granted to copy for personal and church use; all other uses by request. ©2010 C.S. Lewis Institute • 8001 Braddock Road, Suite 301, Springfield, VA 22151-2110 • 703/914-5602 www.cslewisinstitute.org An electronic version (PDF file) is available as well and can be obtained via the web site: www.cslewisinstitute.org.

Spring 2011 | Knowing & Doing • Page 35 FELLOWS C. S. Lewis PROGRAM Institute Annapolis • Washington DC • A t l a n t a E S T A B L I S H E D 1 9 7 6 Many people believe in has helped transform hun- The Fellows Program is Christ but are not experi- dreds of lives. currently being offered in encing a life of true trans- The Fellows Program fo- Washington, DC, Atlanta, formation and fruitfulness. cuses on a different theme Discipleship and Annapolis, Maryland. The Fellows Program pro- each month, and includes: We are actively pursuing of vides discipleship of the expansion of the Fellows heart and mind, and is • The Grace of God and Program to new cities in Heart designed for those who True Conversion the U.S. and internationally want to live lives of radical • Following Jesus Christ starting in 2011. and obedience and be effective • Living a Life of Love The Fellows Program servants for Christ in the • Growing in Humility – Year Two, is offered in Mind church and the world. • The Holy Spirit and Washington, DC, Atlanta This year-long program Obedience focuses on discipleship/ and Annapolis. Year Two spiritual formation, evan- • Growing in Prayer provides a continuing op- gelism, apologetics and • Trusting the Bible portunity to grow in matu- calling. Through sound • Being Transformed rity by exploring the Holi- The C.S. Lewis teaching, mentoring, fel- Through the Bible ness of God, the depths of Institute is lowship, small group in- • Pursuing God’s Call on sin, the power of the Holy supported through teraction, service and Your Life Spirit, community, mis- the gifts of those who readings from the best au- • Understanding and En- sion, dependent prayer recognize the vital thors, the Fellows Program gaging Today’s World and integrity. need for authentic discipleship in current culture. Gifts are very much appreciated and can be mailed or made via a secure online donation.

Foundations for The C.S. Lewis Discipleship and Mission Institute is recognized by the Modeled on the popular and effective Fellows Program, Journey is our most IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization. thorough small group discipleship program for churches or home groups. All gifts to the Journey follows the same themes and uses the same resources as the Fel- Institute are tax deductible lows Program, but without live teaching or mentors. to the extent provided under law. Journey features recorded lectures, plus a workbook that includes Bible studies, discussion questions, reading lists, and additional resources.

for more information visit our website at www.cslewisinstitute.org